Racial Harmony honors 36 students for fostering harmony and understanding

Center for Racial Harmony honors students who 'build bridges through peace'

Over 30 students from area schools received recognition from the Center for Racial Harmony for exemplifying the center's mission of promoting good will among all people. Racial Harmony strives to promote "understanding, cooperation and other commu
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Over 30 students from area schools received recognition from the Center for Racial Harmony for exemplifying the center's mission of promoting good will among all people. Racial Harmony strives to promote "understanding, cooperation and other commu
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Up until a few weeks ago, Generation Z was in the spotlight for eating Tide Pods.

Then, a group of teenagers stepped into the public eye as they stood up to politicians days after their school was shot up and their friends were murdered in Parkland, Florida.

Alex McHugh, president of the Center for Racial Harmony, compared those teenagers to the 36 St. Clair County students who sat in front of him receiving an award for being a exemplary member of the community and promoting cooperation and understanding among all races and ethnic groups.

"You show us what it truly means to be Generation Z," McHugh said Sunday during the Racial Harmony Gathering awards ceremony. "Thank you for being such good examples of how gloriously good people can be."

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Paula Badger, one of the founders of Racial Harmony, said all of the honorees are chosen for their outstanding qualities of character.

"The teachers pick a child who, consistently throughout the year, embraced the values of racial harmony and the mission of bringing kids together," Badger said.

The Racial Harmony Gathering's theme of "Building Bridges to Peace and Harmony" is another timely reminder of what people should strive for, according to Badger.

Abby Millas, a 13-year-old Wolf Branch Middle School student, helps anyone she sees in need and also assists in class, according to her teacher, Erin Birk. In this video, Abby and her teacher talk about why Abby won a Racial Harmony award.

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"You can build bridges through peace and harmony, not through anger and indecisiveness and whatever else we do," Badger said.

The other students honored at the Racial Harmony gathering are as follows:

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